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I've answered questions related to this a couple of times and link those questions here (What are some biochemical alternatives to carbon) and here (Life on a Molten World).

My reference is the always valuable Atomic Rockets website: Building Blocks. This resource provides the references it used to develop its list.

$$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|} \hline \text{Min Temp} & \text{Max Temp} & \text{Macromolecule} & \text{in Solvent} \\ \hline \text{400° C} & \text{500°? C} & \text{Fluorosilicones} & \text{Fluorosilicones} \\ \hline \text{113° C} & \text{445° C} & \text{Fluorocarbons} & \text{molten Sulfur} \\ \hline \text{0° C} & \text{100° C} & \text{Proteins (Hydrocarbon)} & \text{Water} \\ \hline \text{-77.7° C} & \text{-33.4° C} & \text{Proteins (Hydrocarbon)} & \text{liquid Ammonia} \\ \hline \text{-183.6° C} & \text{-161.6° C} & \text{Lipids (Hydrocarbon)} & \text{liquid Methane} \\ \hline \text{-253° C} & \text{-240° C} & \text{Lipids (Hydrocarbon)} & \text{liquid Hydrogen} \\ \hline \end{array}$$

This table does not identify the information carrying molecule that might go with the solvent and building block molecule.

Atomic Rockets lists these other solvent & macromolecule possibilities (but doesn't list suggested temperature ranges):

  • Ammonia - (shown) could replace water as a solvent. At high pressures, ammonia remains a liquid over a larger temperature range than water.
  • Boron - boron nitrides could replace carbon chains as a macromolecule. Boron Nitrides may work better with Ammonia solvent than carbon macromolecules would.
  • Nitrogen - combined with other elements (Boron, Sulfur, or Phosphorus) could replace carbon chains as a macromolecule.
  • Phosphorus - combined with other elements (Carbon, Nitrogen, or Silicon) could replace carbon chains as a macromolecule.

There are even more extreme possibilities.

Jim2B
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